{"id":241112,"date":"2026-01-12T14:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/241112\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T14:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:06:11","slug":"mature-man-sheds-34lbs-and-says-i-returned-to-a-level-i-never-expected-to-see-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/241112\/","title":{"rendered":"Mature man sheds 34lbs and says: ‘I returned to a level I never expected to see again’"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘My health, my energy and my appearance have all changed for the better’This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a>\"Jack<\/p>\n

Jack Baty before and after using the Simple app.(Image: Simple)<\/p>\n

For many people, the start of a new year brings pressure to overhaul their lives overnight with extreme diets, punishing workouts and an all-or-nothing mindset that rarely lasts. But for Jack Baty, a more realistic approach<\/a> helped him lose more than 34lbs and reclaim an energy level he thought was gone for good.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy energy has returned to a level that I never expected to see again, and the difference in my appearance and energy have had a very positive effect on both my physical health and my outlook on life,\u201d Baty says. \u201cSometimes it seems almost too good to be true to me as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baty had spent years battling weight gain, low energy and declining health. Diagnosed with diabetes and obesity around 20 years ago, he found himself stuck in a cycle of frustration that eventually led to triple cardiac bypass surgery just over three years ago. While cardiac rehab helped him lose around 70lbs, his progress stalled and no matter what he tried, he couldn\u2019t get past a stubborn plateau – until he found the Simple App<\/a>.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/p>\n

\u201cI hit the plateau at around 210, and just couldn\u2019t get past it,\u201d he explains. That changed when Baty decided to try the Simple weight loss app<\/a>, a clinically backed digital health tool that focuses on sustainable behaviour change rather than strict dieting or calorie counting.<\/p>\n

After taking a short quiz, Simple<\/a>, which currently has 60% off using the code ‘REACH60’, builds a personalised plan designed to fit around real life, helping users improve nutrition, movement and habits gradually. \u201cI remember taking a chance and signing up for the discounted trial period,\u201d Baty says.<\/p>\n

The Simple app has 60% off<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The app is currently offering 60% off weight loss plans along with a 2-for-1 subscription, allowing users to share premium access with a partner or family member at no extra cost.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hopeful that this extra boost could help me continue my march toward a healthier weight, but had doubts.\u201d However, according to the app, Baty has now checked in for over 180 days and lost 34.4lbs during that time.<\/p>\n

He admits that friends and family were quick to notice the difference. \u201cIt\u2019s not an overstatement to say that my present weight is better than I dared to expect at the beginning,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Jack<\/p>\n

Before using the Simple app, Baty was diagnosed with diabetes and obesity for about 20 years.(Image: Simple)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went to a friend\u2019s memorial service on Saturday, and people who hadn\u2019t seen me for a while were amazed by my physical transformation.\u201d Baty credits Simple\u2019s flexible approach for making the change stick.<\/p>\n

The app includes easy food logging by typing, voice or photo, an intermittent fasting tracker, and personalised workout plans ranging from walking and yoga to HIIT. There’s also an AI-powered coach called Avo, which answers questions around food, exercise and motivation in plain, practical language.<\/p>\n

More recently, Simple <\/a>also introduced Blinky, an emotional-support feature designed to help users stay accountable in a lighter, more human way. Today, Baty says the impact goes far beyond the number on the scales.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sleeping better than ever and even playing ping-pong at the local rec centre three days a week,\u201d he says. \u201cFor the first time in far too long, I am no longer listed as \u2018obese\u2019 for my height. In fact, the doctor\u2019s chart shows me at the upper range of \u2018normal weight\u2019 for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jack<\/p>\n

He lost around 34.4 pounds using the Simple app.(Image: Simple)<\/p>\n

Simple has helped users lose more than 18 million pounds worldwide, has been voted Best Virtual Health Coach 2025, and holds a 4.7 AppStore rating with over 21 million downloads. The app is currently offering 60% off weight loss plans along with a 2-for-1 subscription, allowing users to share premium access with a partner or family member at no extra cost.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore energy, increased self esteem, better flexibility and a sense of accomplishment all came with the Simple app guided eating and exercise tips,\u201d Baty adds. \u201cI am pleased with where I am, and look forward to continuing on this path.\u201d<\/p>\n

For an alternative, there\u2019s Noom<\/a>, a weight loss platform that focuses on mindful eating, not strict diets. Highly scientific, Noom offers lots of support to clients, saying it creates \u2018fun\u2019 personalised courses for people – with pricing depending on the plan and the individual.<\/p>\n

\"Blinky\"<\/p>\n

Blinky is an emotional-support feature designed to help users stay accountable.(Image: Simple)<\/p>\n

Noom says its aim is to ’empower people everywhere to lead better, healthier lives and not just our members’. Or there\u2019s MyFitnessPal<\/a> – a calorie tracker and BMI calculator designed to help people meet their targets and track their nutritional intake. It costs around \u00a319.99 a month, but there are some free sections available on the app.<\/p>\n

Those who are using Simple<\/a> shared their views on Trustpilot, with one person saying: \u201cHaving a regular check in about what you ate and keeping record of the pounds I am losing is very motivating. I love that I am learning about nutrition. It is definitely keeping me focused and accountable.\u201d Another said: \u201cThis has helped me to keep checking in daily and reminding me what to do!\u201d<\/p>\n

Some people slightly disagreed, as one person said: \u201cA very good experience, making me very aware and knowledgeable about what I\u2019m doing well and suggestions for improvement. The suggestions are extremely useful and welcome. It is a little difficult to learn all the steps and options at first but quickly becomes easy. I\u2019m seeing progress and also breaking old habits with help from Avo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overall, most people were pleased. Another said: \u201cThe app is very supportive of logging, eating, drinking and activity. It requires a commitment to yourself and a want to make a change. The virtual coach was a really nice addition and the regular check-ins were really helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"‘My health, my energy and my appearance have all changed for the better’This article contains affiliate links, we…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":241113,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[72,38124,2119,61,60,13722],"class_list":["post-241112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-good-health","tag-healthy-lifestyle","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-shopping-advice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/241113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}